The effect of introduction of an unfamiliar individual on the social contact patterns of groups ofcattle

摘要

Implications Agricultural mixing practices which introduce unfamiliar cattle into established groups may impact thewelfare of new group members due to social isolation.Introduction Cattle are gregarious animals that show a strong motivation for social interactions. However, the dynamics ofa group are dependent on the individuals within that group, with changes in the composition representing social disruptionof the group. Social stability in cattle following social disruption has previously been defined using aggressive interactionswithin the group, suggesting the effects of regrouping are restricted to a short period of 1-2 weeks (Boe et al. 2003). Herewe determine the impact of social disruption on groups of cattle via the introduction on an unfamiliar individual, on theassociation patterns of the group. Specifically, we test the hypotheses: 1) Resident cattle will alter their patterns ofassociation in response to social disruption; 2) The unfamiliar individual will show an increased pattern of associationswith the established group members over time.